As the semester winds down to an end, finals week is fast approaching. For some students, this means remembering as much information from the past few months of courses as possible all within a matter of days. No doubt the thought of memorizing almost everything from classes within the past few months is overwhelming. However, there are many tried-and-true strategies to ride through the storm until you can finally finish your last final exam and into Christmas break!
One way to avoid stress during finals week is to be proactive when it comes to studying. A majority of exams are cumulative, and it’s nearly impossible to memorize all the information taught since the first day of the semester within a week. Just reviewing topics taught from the first days of courses to the last days can ensure effective studying once finals week arrives. After looking over notes, consider which topics you can remember right off the bat, and which ones you may need to look over a few more times and memorize. This way, you have the time to memorize all the important information from the course once the day of the exam arrives.
Another way to reduce stress during finals, and this may be obvious, is to get your heart pumping a few times a week. Exercise, especially cardio, has been known to reduce stress by releasing endorphins. These feel-good hormones can counteract any stress that you may experience during finals week. An even better way to reduce stress with exercise is to do it with friends! Take a group exercise class at the gym, or gather a bunch of your friends for a run or walk. Just remember not to overdo it- even too much exercise can be a bad thing!
Relaxation techniques, like meditation and yoga, can also help conquer stress as you prepare for finals. Does test-taking in general bring on anxiety? One way to conquer this is by using a technique known as positive imagery. Imagine yourself effectively studying for your exams. Then picture yourself taking the exam with ease, knowing that you memorized all the course material. Then imagine finishing the exam and walking out, confident that you did well. Keeping this in mind, instead of the bad things that could happen, can help calm any anxiety and motivate you to study effectively for finals.
Positive affirmation is also a good way to keep stress at bay during finals week. Create a mantra that you can repeat to yourself in your head (or out loud!) if you start to doubt yourself, like “I am smart,” or “I will do well on all my exams.” It may sound weird, but if you repeat positive thoughts to yourself like these, you’re much more likely to follow your own expectations. Keep in mind that affirmations and positive imagery alone do not guarantee a passing grade, you have to study also!
Getting plenty of rest also can help keep stress levels down. Aim to get about 8 to 9 hours of shut-eye every night. “Unplug” from everything, including computers, T.V., iPods, iPads, and cellphones, about an hour before turning in every night. Because electronic devices emit bright light, exposure to these right before bed signals your brain to stay awake, making it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. If you tend to study right before bed time, and all your course notes are online, print them out so you have a hard copy to read so that you’re not staring at a computer screen right before going to bed.
Finals week may be one of the most stressful weeks during the college years, but by using these strategies, you can ride through the storm until you can finally enjoy the winter break knowing that you’ve successfully completed another semester!